How to Say “Looking Good” in Spanish

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te ves bien
/te bes bjen/from spelling rules
The English phrase "looking good" is translated into Spanish as te ves bien.
This phrase is a compliment used to tell someone that they look attractive or well-dressed. While it is often used to comment on someone's physical appearance, it is also frequently used to mean that someone looks healthy or well-rested.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase te ves bien literally translates to "you see yourself well".

Which one should you use?

While te ves bien can refer to someone's attractiveness, it can also mean they look healthy. You can intensify the compliment by adding muy to say te ves muy bien (you look very good). To express a higher level of praise, you might use the alternative te ves genial to say someone looks great or wonderful.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

For more informal situations among friends and peers, you can use ¡Te ves guapo/guapa! (You look handsome/beautiful!) or ¡Qué bien te ves! (You look great!). In a formal and respectful context, you should use forms such as Qué bien se ve usted, Luce usted muy bien or Se ve usted estupendo/a.

Is it said differently in some regions?

In Spain, the expression ¡Estás genial! is a popular informal way to express admiration for someone's appearance.

How does it change in a sentence?

The phrase changes based on the subject. To say "he looks good" or "she looks good", change the pronoun and verb conjugation from te ves to se ve. To say "they look good" when referring to a group of people, use the plural form se ven bien.

Did you know?

  • While te ves bien refers to appearance, Spanish speakers often use the verb estar to describe a temporary state of beauty. Saying estás guapa implies the person looks beautiful right now, whereas eres guapa means they are beautiful in general.
  • Using guapo can be much more flirtatious or emotionally charged than the neutral te ves bien, depending on the region.
  • The word bien in this phrase evolved from the Latin bene, which also gave rise to the English word 'bonus'.

Examples in context

  • Hoy te ves bien con esa camisa.
    You look good in that shirt today.
  • Te ves bien con el pelo corto.
    You look good with short hair.
  • ¡Qué guapa! Te ves bien.
    How beautiful! You look good.

Example conversation

Daniel and Lucía are getting ready to go to a party.

  1. Daniel

    ¡Lucía, te ves bien con ese vestido!
    Lucía, you look good in that dress!
  2. Lucía

    Gracias, Daniel. ¿Me queda bien?
    Thanks, Daniel. Does it look good on me?
  3. Daniel

    Sí, te ves muy elegante.
    Yes, you look very elegant.
  4. Lucía

    Tú también te ves muy bien.
    You look very good too.

Sources

  • IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
  • Word origins: Wiktionary entries bien, te, ves, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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Alfred Floyd
Alfred FloydHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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